System for monitoring a physiological parameter of players engaged in a sporting activity

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a system for monitoring a physiological parameter of players engaged in a sporting activity. The system includes a plurality of reporting units, a controller, and a signaling device. The reporting unit has an arrangement of sensing devices that measure the physiological parameter of an individual player and generate parameter data. The controller receives the parameter data transmitted from each reporting unit and then processes the parameter data to calculate a parameter result. When the parameter result exceeds a predetermined value, the controller communicates with a signaling device that provides an alert to sideline personnel to monitor the player(s) in question. The system also includes a remote storage device for holding historical data collected by the system which permits subsequent analysis. The system can monitor a number of player physiological parameters, including the acceleration of a player&#39;s body part that experiences an impact and the temperature of each player.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/609,555, filed Sep. 13, 2004, and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/997,832,filed Nov. 24, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,554,509, issued Oct. 8, 2013,which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/974,566, filed Oct. 10, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,509, whichclaimed priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/239,379, filed Oct. 11, 2000, all of which are incorporated herein byreference and made a part hereof.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

A portion of the invention described herein was made in the course ofwork under grant number 1R43HD4074301 from the National Institute ofHealth. The U.S. Government may retain certain rights in this invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a multi-component system that actively monitorsa physiological parameter of numerous players engaged in a sportingactivity. The system includes reporting units that provide for thetransmission of each player's measured physiological data to acontroller for calculation of the parameter and recordation of theresults. Since most contact sports involve multi-player teams, thesystem can simultaneously measure, record and transmit data on thephysiological parameter(s) for all players on the team throughout thecourse of play, including a game or practice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Due to the physical nature of contact sports, such as football, hockey,and lacrosse, players receive a number of impacts during the course ofplay. The impacts cause an acceleration of the player's body part,including the head and brain.

Much remains unknown about the response of the brain to headaccelerations in the linear and rotational directions and even lessabout the correspondence between specific impact forces and injury,particularly with respect to injuries caused by repeated exposure toimpact forces of a lower level than those that result in a catastrophicinjury or fatality. Almost all of what is known is derived from animalstudies, studies of cadavers under specific directional and predictableforces (i.e. a head-on collision test), from crash dummies, from humanvolunteers in well-defined but limited impact exposures, or from othersimplistic mechanical models. The conventional application of knownforces and/or measurement of forces applied to animals, cadavers, crashdummies, and human volunteers limits our knowledge of a relationshipbetween forces applied to a living human head and resultant severe andcatastrophic brain injury. These prior studies have limited value asthey typically relate to research in the automobile safety area.

The concern for sports-related injuries, particularly to the head, ishigher than ever. The Center for Disease Control and Preventionestimates that the incidence of sports-related mild traumatic braininjury (MTBI) approaches 300,000 annually in the United States.Approximately ⅓ of these injuries occur in football. MTBI is a majorsource of lost player time. Head injuries accounted for 13.3% of allfootball injuries to boys and 4.4% of all soccer injuries to both boysand girls in a large study of high school sports injuries. Approximately62,800 MTBI cases occur annually among high school varsity athletes,with football accounting for about 63% of cases. Concussions in hockeyaffect 10% of the athletes and make up 12%-14% of all injuries.

For example, a typical range of 4-6 concussions per year in a footballteam of 90 players (7%), and 6 per year from a hockey team with 28players (21%) is not uncommon. In rugby, concussion can affect as manyas 40% of players on a team each year. Concussions, particularly whenrepeated multiple times, significantly threaten the long-term health ofthe athlete. The health care costs associated with MTBI in sports areestimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. TheNational Center for Injury Prevention and Control considerssports-related traumatic brain injury (mild and severe) an importantpublic health problem because of the high incidence of these injuries,the relative youth of those being injured with possible long termdisability, and the danger of cumulative effects from repeat incidences.

Athletes who suffer head impacts during a practice or game situationoften find it difficult to assess the severity of the blow. Physicians,trainers, and coaches utilize standard neurological examinations andcognitive questioning to determine the relative severity of the impactand its effect on the athlete. Return to play decisions can be stronglyinfluenced by parents and coaches who want a star player back on thefield. Subsequent impacts following an initial concussion (MTBI) may be4-6 times more likely to result in a second, often more severe, braininjury. Significant advances in the diagnosis, categorization, andpost-injury management of concussions have led to the development ofstandardized tools such as the Standardized Assessment of Concussion(SAC), which includes guidelines for on-field assessment and return tosport criteria. Yet there are no objective biomechanical measuresdirectly related to the impact used for diagnostic purposes. Criticalclinical decisions are often made on the field immediately following theimpact event, including whether an athlete can continue playing. Datafrom the actual event would provide additional objective data to augmentpsychometric measures currently used by the on-site medicalpractitioner.

Brain injury following impact occurs at the tissue and cellular level,and is both complex and not fully understood. Increased brain tissuestrain, pressure waves, and pressure gradients within the skull havebeen linked with specific brain injury mechanisms. Linear and rotationalhead acceleration are input conditions during an impact. Both direct andinertial (i.e. whiplash) loading of the head result in linear androtational head acceleration. Head acceleration induces strain patternsin brain tissue, which may cause injury. There is significantcontroversy regarding what biomechanical information is required topredict the likelihood and severity of MTBI. Direct measurement of braindynamics during impact is extremely difficult in humans.

Head acceleration, on the other hand, can be more readily measured; itsrelationship to severe brain injury has been postulated and tested formore than 50 years. Both linear and rotational acceleration of the headplay an important role in producing diffuse injuries to the brain. Therelative contributions of these accelerations to specific injurymechanisms have not been conclusively established. The numerousmechanisms theorized to result in brain injury have been evaluated incadaveric and animal models, surrogate models, and computer models.Prospective clinical studies combining head impact biomechanics andclinical outcomes have been strongly urged. Validation of the varioushypotheses and models linking tissue and cellular level parameters withMTBI in sports requires field data that directly correlates specifickinematic inputs with post-impact trauma in humans.

In the prior art, conventional devices have employed testing approacheswhich do not relate to devices which can be worn by living human beings,such as the use of dummies. When studying impact with dummies, they aretypically secured to sleds with a known acceleration and impactvelocity. The dummy head then impacts with a target, and theaccelerations experienced by the head are recorded. Impact studies usingcadavers are performed for determining the impact forces and pressureswhich cause skull fractures and catastrophic brain injury.

There is a critical lack of information about what motions and impactforces lead to MTBI in sports. Previous research on football helmetimpacts in actual game situations yielded helmet impact magnitudes ashigh as 530 G's for a duration of 60 msec and >1000 G's for unknowndurations with no known MTBI. Accelerometers were held firmly to thehead via the suspension mechanism in the helmet and with Velcro straps.A recent study found maximum helmet accelerations of 120 G's and 150 G'sin a football player and hockey player, respectively. The disparity inmaximum values among these limited data sets demonstrates the need foradditional large-scale data collection.

Most prior art attempts relate to testing in a lab environment. However,the playing field is a more appropriate testing environment foraccumulating data regarding impact to the head. A limitation of theprior art involves practical application and widespread use ofmeasurement technologies that are size and cost effective forindividuals and teams. Therefore, there would be significant advantageto outfitting an entire playing team with a recording system formonitoring impact activities. This would assist in accumulating data ofall impacts to the head, independent of severity level, to study theoverall profile of head impacts for a given sport. Also, full-time headacceleration monitoring would also be of great assistance inunderstanding a particular impact or sequence of impacts to a player'shead over time that may have caused an injury and to better treat thatinjury medically.

The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed aboveand other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not providedby prior systems of this type. A full discussion of the features andadvantages of the present invention is deferred to the followingdetailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a multi-component system that activelymonitors at least one physiological parameter of players engaged in asporting activity. The system includes reporting units with a telemetryelement that provide for the transmission of each player's physiologicalparameter data to a controller for calculation, recordation and/orstorage. The reporting unit can be installed with each player'sprotective equipment. Since most contact sports involve multi-playerteams, the system simultaneously measures, records and transmits thedata on the physiological parameter(s) for all players on the teamhaving a reporting unit throughout the course of play, including a gameor practice. The system is especially well suited for helmeted teamsports where players are susceptible to head impacts and injuries; forexample, football, hockey, and lacrosse. Since the system can beemployed with every member of the team, the system simultaneouslymeasures, transmits and/or records impact physiological data from eachplayer throughout the course of the practice or game.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the system activelymeasures and calculates the acceleration of a body part (e.g. the head)of players while engaged in physical activity, such as during play of acontact sport. When the calculated body part acceleration exceeds apredetermined level, a system controller transmits a signal to asignaling device to notify sideline personnel that a player(s) hasexperienced an elevated body part acceleration. To assist with futuremonitoring and evaluation, a system database stores the calculated bodypart acceleration for each player.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the systemactively measures and calculates each player's body surface temperatureduring play. When the calculated body temperature exceeds apredetermined level, the system controller transmits a signal to thesignaling device to notify sideline personnel that a player(s) hasexperienced a significant body temperature increase.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the system activelymeasures and calculates the acceleration of each player's body part andthe player's temperature during play. Thus, the system can activelymonitor multiple physiological parameters for each of the many playersengaged in physical activity.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification taken in conjunction with the followingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the system of the invention, showing thesystem configured for use with football helmets;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a reporter unit of the system of the invention;and,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a reporting unit of the system of theinvention, showing an in-helmet version of the reporting unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2, depict a multi-component system 10 for activelymonitoring a physiological parameter of numerous players engaged in asporting activity, wherein the players' data is transmitted to acontroller for monitoring and recordation. In one embodiment, the system10 is configured to measure and calculate the acceleration of a bodypart (e.g., the head) of players while engaged in physical activity,such as during play of a contact sport. In another embodiment, thesystem 10 is designed to measure and calculate each player's bodytemperature during play. In yet another embodiment, the system 10 isdesigned to measure and calculate the acceleration of each player's bodypart and the player's temperature during play. Since most contact sportsinvolve multi-player teams, the system 10 simultaneously measures,records and transmits the data on the physiological parameter(s) for allplayers on the team throughout the course of play, including a game orpractice. The system 10 is especially well suited for helmeted teamsports where players are susceptible to head impacts and injuries; forexample, football, hockey, and lacrosse. Therefore, the system 10represents a platform for actively monitoring the physiologicalparameters of players engaged in sporting activities. It is within thescope of the invention for the system 10 to be configured to monitor aphysiological parameter of a smaller number of players, meaning not allplayers engaged in the physical activity.

The system 10 is generally comprised of multiple reporting units 20, acontroller unit 40, a signaling device 60, a database 80, and software90 that enables the various components of the system 10 to communicateand interact. While the system 10 is described below in the context of ahelmeted team sport, the system 10 can be utilized in connection withother sporting activities that do not require a helmet, such as socceror rugby. Consequently, the system 10 can be configured for use withother protective gear, such as a head band, leg guard, or shoulder pad.Because a football team includes numerous players, in some casesexceeding one hundred players, each player has a recording unit 20 thatcommunicates with the controller 40. Therefore, the recording units 20continuously and collectively measure and transmit physiological data tothe controller for monitoring of the players. While a significantportion of the parameter measurement and monitoring occurs during thecourse of play, the system 10 continues to measure relevantphysiological parameters, such as the players' body temperature, whenplayers are at a reduced activity level on the sideline.

The reporting unit 20 automatically and continuously measures andrecords the player's physiological parameters and transmits dataregarding the parameter to the controller 40. When the system 10 isconfigured for use with a football team, the wearable reporting unit 20is adapted for use either within each player's helmet or protectivegear, such as shoulder pads. Referring to FIGS. 1-4 and as explained inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/997,832 , now U.S. Pat. No.8,554,509, issued Oct. 8, 2013, which is incorporated herein byreference, the reporting unit 20 includes a sensor assembly defined by aplurality of sensors 22 that measures the player's physiologicalparameter and a control unit 24, wherein the sensors 22 are operablyconnected to the control unit 24. As shown in FIG. 3, a wire lead 26electrically connects each sensor 22 with the control unit 24. Thecontrol unit 24 can include a signal conditioner 24 a, a filter 24 b, amicrocontroller 24 c (or microprocessor), a telemetry element 24 d, anencoder 24 e, and a power source 24 f. While the encoder 24 e is shownas separate from the telemetry element 24 d, the encoder 24 e can beintegrated within the telemetry element 24 d. The sensors 22 arecalibrated to measure the player's physiological condition or parameterand then generate input data regarding each parameter. The control unit24 processes the input data, including filtering and conditioning asnecessary, and then converts the data to signals. Next, the encoder 24 eof the control unit 24 encodes the signals with a unique identifier, andthe telemetry element 24 d wirelessly transmits (as represented by thelightening bolts in FIG. 1) the encoded signals to the remote controller40 which recognizes the encoded signals for further processing andcalculation. The telemetry element 24 d can be a transceiver, or aseparate receiver and transmitter. The power source 24 f can be arechargeable battery or a disposable battery. In another embodiment ofthe system 10, the parameter data transmitted from the reporters 20 tothe controller 40 can be encrypted to increase the security of theunderlying data. In this configuration, the system 10 can include acipher for performing encryption and decryption, and a key toparameterize the cipher.

The type of sensors 22 within the reporting unit 20 depend upon theplayer's physiological data to be measured, transmitted and monitored.For example, when the reporting unit 20 is configured to measureacceleration of the body part, the sensors 22 are single-axisaccelerometers, multi-axis accelerometers, or a combination of both. Asanother example, to measure the player's temperature, each reportingunit 20 includes at least one sensor 22 such as a thermistor, whichcomprises resistive circuit components having a high negativetemperature coefficient of resistance so that the resistance decreasesas the temperature increases. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 22is a thermal ribbon sensor or a band-gap type integrated circuit sensor.To measure both the acceleration and temperature of the player's bodypart, the sensors 22 can be a combination of accelerometers andthermistors operably connected to the control unit 24. Where the system10 is configured for use with a football team to measure and monitorhead acceleration and player body temperature, the sensors 22 areaccelerometers and thermistors that are arrayed in an in-helmet unit 28(see FIG. 4) for each player. To measure other physiological parameters,such as the player's heart rate and blood pressure the sensors 22 aremicro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) type sensors that useauscultatory and/or oscillometric measurement techniques.

As shown in FIG. 4, the in-helmet unit 28 includes a flexible band 30that houses the sensors 22 and the control unit 24. The flexible band 30is received within the internal padding assembly of the helmet 32,wherein the sensors 22 are positioned about the player's skull. In thismanner, the in-helmet unit 28 is removably received within the helmet 32to allow for testing and maintenance, including recharging of thebattery power source. In one embodiment where the system 10 measures theacceleration of the player's head, the band 30 is dimensioned such thatthe sensitive axis of each accelerometer sensor 22 is orthogonal to theouter surface of the player's head. In another embodiment, theaccelerometer sensors 22 are not positioned orthogonal to the headsurface. Depending upon the other design parameters of the system 10,the accelerometer sensors 22 can be positioned either orthogonally ornon-orthogonally to each other. While FIG. 3 depicts three sensors 22within the control unit 20, the precise number of sensors 22 varies withthe design of the system 10. In the embodiment where the system 10measures the player's temperature, the temperature sensor 22 can beplaced within the forehead pad of the helmet 32 or at other locations inprotective equipment, such as shoulder pads, knee pads, etc.

In operation, the reporting unit sensors 22 measure the physiologicalparameter(s) and generate signals in response to the measured parametervalue. The sensors 22 can be configured to continuously generate signalsin response to the parameter value, or generate signals only when theparameter value reaches or exceeds a threshold level. For example, thesensors 22 can be single-axis accelerometers that measure headacceleration but only generate signals when the sensed head accelerationsurpasses 10 G's. The control unit 24 processes the data signals andtransmits them to the sideline controller 30 for calculation andmonitoring of the player's physiological condition. As part of theprocessing step, the control unit 24 conditions and filters the signals,as necessary, and then encodes the signals with a unique identifier fortransmission to the controller 40. To support simultaneous transmissionsfrom multiple reporters 20 to the correct controller 40, the signalssent from each control unit 24 can be divided with time divisionmultiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), orfrequency division multiple access (FDMA) technology. Encoding thesignals with a unique identifier enables the controller 40 to properlymultiplex and decode information from the various reporters 20transmitting data. Accordingly, the system 10 simultaneously measuresand transmits encoded data from a number of reporters 20 and then thecontroller 40 catalogs either the encoded data signal for furthercalculation, or the resultant calculation based upon the relationshipbetween the reporter 20 and the player. Regardless of when thecataloging occurs, the controller 40 organizes each player's calculatedparameter result for further analysis and/or monitoring. In oneembodiment, an operator of the system 10 defines the relationship orassociation between the reporter 20 and the player when the player isissued a helmet or protective gear having the reporter 20. With the aidof the signaling device 60, the sideline personnel utilizing the system10 can then monitor the physiological condition of select players basedupon the cataloging of the calculated parameter result.

The active monitoring system 10, including the reporting unit 20, can beconfigured to measure the severity of the impact upon the player's bodypart based upon indirect measures of the impact event. This indirectmeasurement is accomplished through monitoring the deformationexperienced by the player's protective gear, including the helmet, theshoulder pads, and the internal padding assembly associated within each.An impact to a body part may be quantified by the body part's impactkinematics, which include a change in position, change in velocityand/or change in acceleration of the part over a select time interval.In one embodiment, small magnetic particles and at least one Hall-effectsensor are embedded within the protective equipment and/or the paddingelement connected to the equipment. The sensor output is dependent uponthe distance between the particles and the sensor, wherein the sensoroutput measurements are applied to a rheologic model to calculate theimpact force experienced by the equipment and/or pad element. Forexample, a mass-spring-damper model of the padding element andexperimentally derived foam displacement and velocity values can beutilized in the model to estimate or calculate the impact accelerationand the magnitude of the applied impact force. A highly sensitive sensorarray can be used to calibrate the protective gear or padding element todetermine the location of the magnetic particles therein relative to theHall-effect sensor(s). In another embodiment, the impact to the bodypart is measured and calculated based upon the change in shape ordimensions of the protective gear and/or the padding element connectedthereto. Resistive sensing elements can be used where the resistance inthe measurement device changes as a function of linear, torsional orshear displacement. Alternatively, capacitive sensing elements can beutilized where the capacitance changes as a function of linear,torsional or shear displacement. Shape-changing tape is an example ofthe sensing elements. In another embodiment of system 10, the reportingunit 20 includes a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) pressuretransducer that detects pressure changes within an enclosed fluidbladder or air chamber, such as those used with the padding assembly ofprotective sports equipment, such as helmets and shoulder pads. When theprotective equipment to which the padding assembly is connected receivesan impact force, the padding assembly compresses the fluid causing apressure change that is measured by the MEMS pressure transducer. Sinceenvironmental conditions, including temperature and humidity, affect thefluid bladders and air chambers, the reporting unit 20 includes atemperature compensation element to improve the accuracy of theresulting measurements. In yet another embodiment of the system 10, thereporting unit 20 measures the characteristic sound generated by animpact to a body part and/or the protective equipment overlying the bodypart. The system 10 employs pattern recognition to provide continuousevaluation of sounds resulting from impacts in order to characterize theseverity of the impact on a scale. The software 100 associated with thepattern recognition distinguishes impact-related sounds from ambientsounds typically found at a playing field, or selectively filters theambient sounds so as to avoid skewing the analysis and results. Thesystem 10 then categorizes the severity of the impact based upon thecharacteristics of the impact-related sound. One benefit of theseapproaches is that the system 10 can positively quantify the fit of theprotective equipment or padding element with respect to the player, andprovide an alert if there is an improper equipment fit.

Generally, the controller 40 receives the data measured and transmittedby the reporting units 20 and processes the data for meaningful analysisor use. The sideline controller 40 is comprised of a portablemicroprocessor 42 (e.g., a laptop or portable computer), including adisplay screen, and a telemetry element 44 operably connected to themicroprocessor 42. The controller 40 is a mobile apparatus that can betransported in a case 46. Referring to FIG. 2, the telemetry element 44includes an antenna 48, a transmitter 50, a receiver 52 (or a combinedtransceiver), and an encoder 54. Consistent with that explained above,the telemetry element 44 decodes the encoded signals sent from eachreporter 20, performs the requisite calculation, and then multiplexesthe result according to the identity of the reporting unit 20. In thismanner, the controller 40 recognizes the identifier provided by eachreporter 20 and organizes the results for each player having a reporter20. The controller 40 has a local memory device for storing datareceived from the reporting units 20 and the subsequently calculatedresults. Preferably, the memory device of the controller 40 is capableof storing information compiled over an entire season, so if necessary,sideline personnel and/or medical staff can retrieve historical playerdata when needed. In preferred embodiments, the controller 40 can beequipped with software 100 that includes team management information(e.g., complete roster list of players, position of players,identification of active players, etc.) and daily exposure information(e.g., date, game vs. practice, conditions, etc.). The controller 40also is used to synchronize local data (e.g., one team or historicaldata) with the centralized database 80.

In operation, the controller 40 receives the encoded signal from thereporting unit 20 for the measured physiological parameter (the“measured parameter”) and processes the data within the signal tocalculate a result for the parameter (the “parameter result”). When theparameter result reaches or exceeds a predetermined parameter level(hereinafter the “alert event”), the controller 40 communicates with thesignaling device 60 thereby alerting the sideline personnel bearing thedevice 60. For each alert event, the controller 40 displays the affectedplayer's identity, for example by name or jersey number, the measuredparameter, and the time of the alert event. However, the player'sidentity can be protected by use of a unique player identifier, whichmay be encoded or encrypted. When the parameter result falls below thelevel and an alert event does not occur, the controller 40 continues toreceive data from the reporters 20 and runs the requisite calculations.Further, when an alert event arises from one reporter 20, the controller40 continues to receive and process data from the other reporters 20.The time stamp allows sideline personnel and medical staff to correlatethe calculated parameter to actual videotape of the sporting event thatled to the alert event. Once an alert event has occurred, the controller40 sends a signal to the signaling device 60 that alerts the sidelinepersonnel to observe and investigate the condition of the player inquestion. The player in question is quickly identified by the controller40 due to the unique identifier provided by the reporting units 20 andthe subsequent recognition of the identifier and the multiplexingperformed by the controller 40. In this manner, the sideline personnelcan efficiently evaluate the player at issue from the many playerscomprising the team.

As a further aspect of the operation of the system 10, the telemetryelement 44 of the controller 40 can transmit a confirmation signal toeach reporting unit 20 confirming that the signals sent by thatreporting unit 40 were successfully received and that the data iscomplete for calculation purposes. This enables the reporting units 20to conserve power since they do not have to repeatedly send data to thecontroller 40. In the event that the signals from a reporting unit 20are not successfully received or that the signals are incomplete orskewed, the telemetry element 44 transmits a resend signal thatinstructs the reporter 20 to resend the signals from the control unit 24for reception by the controller 40. The reporter 20 can be programmed toautomatically resend signals to the controller 40 in the situation wherethe confirmation signal is not received within a fixed period of timefrom the signal transmission by the reporter 20. Since numerousreporters 20 are simultaneously transmitting data signals during thecourse of play, the controller 40 is constantly assessing the quality ofthe transmitted signal and sending the relevant confirmation and resendsignals to the various reporters 20.

In the embodiment where the system 10 measures player body partacceleration, such as head acceleration, when an alert event occurs, thecontroller 40 calculates the point of impact on the player's body part,the cumulative impacts sustained by the player during the currentsporting session, and then graphs the magnitude and duration of recentimpacts to the player and/or the body part. As part of this calculation,the controller 40 uses an algorithm to estimate the magnitude of theimpact measured by the sensors 22, wherein the algorithm comports withthe disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/997,832, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,554,509, issued Oct. 8, 2013 . As an example, when the system10 measures and monitors the player's head acceleration, the controller40 sends a signal to a signaling device 60 when an impact magnitudeexceeding a predetermined threshold level (e.g., 50 G's) is measured andcalculated. When this alert event occurs, the controller 40 calculatesthe point of impact on the player's head, the cumulative impactssustained by the player during the current sporting session, and thengraphs the magnitude and duration of recent head impacts for review bysideline personnel, including the training and medical staff.

In the embodiment where the system 10 monitors each player's bodytemperature, the controller 40 receives data from the reporting units 20and then calculates each player's body surface temperature, the rate oftemperature increase and/or decrease versus a selected time interval. Inaddition to the temperature sensor 22 in the reporting unit 20, thecontroller 40 can include an additional temperature and/or humiditysensor to measure ambient conditions and use the resulting data forcorrection purposes. When the system 10 is configured for player bodytemperature monitoring in helmeted team sports, the reporting unit 20can be positioned within the helmet 32 or within other protectiveequipment worn by each player, such as a shoulder pad assembly. Thecontroller 40 receives the temperature data from each reporter 20 andthen applies an algorithm to calculate the player's body surfacetemperature, the rate of temperature increase and/or decrease, and othertemperature-based parameters that aid in the evaluation of playerthermal management.

As explained above, the signaling device 60 communicates with thecontroller 40 and alerts sideline personnel when a suspect event hasoccurred. The signaling device 60 can be a pager 62, a personal digitalassistant (PDA) 64, or a portable electronic device, such as atelephone, that is capable of receiving data and displaying resultstransmitted by the controller 40. Typically, the device 60 is worn orheld by sideline personnel, including the training staff, medicalpersonnel and/or coaches. Depending upon the parameters of the system10, the signaling device 60 could vibrate or sound an audio alarm when asuspect event is measured and recorded, and inform the wearer of thedevice 60 of the alert event. Regarding the nature of the alert event,the device 60 can advise of: the identity of player(s) affected; thenature of the suspect event, including an elevated head acceleration dueto impact or a change in a player's physiological status such aselevated body temperature; and the time of the incident.

In one embodiment, the PDA 64 is programmed with software 100 thatassures best practices are followed in the treatment and documentationof mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI). In another embodiment of thepresent invention, the PDA 64 software 100 includes a bundle of teammanagement programs which enables the PDA 64 to store all team data,including medical histories and testing baselines. The software 100 alsoprovides the PDA 64 with an active response protocol for guidingsideline personnel through appropriate examination procedures andrecording the results. For example, when an alert event occurs and therelevant player is brought to the sideline for evaluation, the PDA 64can display the individual's head-injury history, the results ofprevious evaluations and other pertinent medical data. With theassistance of the software 100, the PDA 64 prompts the medical staffmember to conduct the appropriate sideline examination, records theresponses, compares the results to established baselines and promptseither further testing or a play/no-play decision. The software 100 hasa bundle of team management tools that includes a roster program whichcontains all the basic information about each individual player: e.g.,contact information, which sports they play (including position andjersey number), emergency information, relevant sizes, equipment issuesand availability to play. Information can be stored and sorted in avariety of ways, such as by team, person item and size. The software 100may also include a session manager program that allows the coachingstaff to document incidents as they occur during a practice or a game.The appropriate information about the team, players and conditions isentered at the beginning of each session. Then, as injuries occur, thesoftware 100 provides a template for recording injury data by player.

In another embodiment of the inventive system 10, the controller 40 isomitted and the reporting units 20 interact and communicate directlywith the signaling device 60. In one version of this embodiment, thereporting units 20 measure the physiological parameters as explainedabove and perform the related calculations within their control unit 24.All of the calculated results are then transmitted from each reportingunit 20 to the signaling device 60, for example the PDA 64, forrecordation and monitoring. The device 60 sorts and multiplexes theresults while looking for an alert event. When the device 60 finds analert event, the device 60 alerts the sideline personnel consistent withthat explained above. Alternatively, each reporting unit 20 performs thenecessary calculations to arrive at a parameter result and thentransmits only those results that amount to an alert event. In thismanner, the device 60 receives signals from a reduced number ofreporters 20 and then alerts sideline personnel accordingly. In anotherversion of this embodiment, the reporting units 20 measure thephysiological parameters and transmit the data signals to the device 60,for example the PDA 64, wherein the device 60 performs the relatedcalculations to arrive at the parameter result. When the parameterresult amounts to an alert event, the device 60 alerts the sidelinepersonnel to evaluate the player(s) consistent with that explainedabove. To aid with the analysis of the parameter results and thesubsequent player monitoring, the device 60 can be programmed with abundle of team management software 100 which enable it to store all teamdata, including medical histories and testing baselines. The device 60can also be programmed with an active response protocol for guidingsideline personnel through appropriate examination procedures andrecording the results. The data and results stored on the device 60 canbe uploaded to the database 80 wherein authorized users can access samefor team management and player evaluation functions.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in an embodiment of the present invention,the system 10 includes a server 80, preferably a database server 80. Thecentral database 80 stores data from all remote sites, includinginformation stored on the controller 40 and the signaling device 60. Forexample, the database 80 can serve as a team administrator database forthe athletic department of a large university. That is, an interactiveclearinghouse for all athlete information that needs to be shared amongvarious departments or sports. The database 80 is internet enabled toprovide remote access to authorized users, including coaches, trainers,equipment managers and administrators, which allows the users to keepabreast of changes in players' status. The database 80 also provides ahost of administrative and management tools for team and equipmentstaff.

To aid with the evaluation and monitoring of the players, the system 10can be configured to provide indicia of the impact force. Since thesystem 10 calculates the magnitude, direction and time history of theimpact causing the body part acceleration, the system 10 can quantifythe severity of the impact on recognized scales, including the headinjury criteria (HIC) and the severity index (SI) scales. Combining thedata and/or the results into correlative measures may yield new indicesthat are more sensitive to the alert event. For example, the system 10can utilize a combination of the measured parameter, the parameterresult and/or the alert event to create a risk assessment index (RAI)for each player. The RAI can be used for team management purposes andfuture monitoring conducted by the system 10, including adjusting thesensitivity and operating parameters of the various components of thesystem 10 In addition, the system 10 can be configured to providediagnostic functions from the active monitoring of the players'physiological parameters, including the body part acceleration and bodytemperature calculations. Essentially, the system 10 can utilize thecalculated results to provide diagnostic assistance to the sidelinepersonnel via either the controller 40 or the signaling device 60. Aspart of the diagnostic assessment, the system 10 weighs a number offactors including the player's medical and injury history, the alertevent, and environmental factors.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the system 10 isconfigured to adjust its monitoring, sensitivity and/or calculationsbased upon the player's recent medical and injury history. Thus, theoperational parameters and standards of the system 10 components,including the reporting units 20, the controller 40 and the signalingdevice 60, can be adjusted for future monitoring of the players in lightof each player's recent data and history. For example, the controller 40can wirelessly communicate with the reporting unit 20 to adjust thesensitivity of the sensors 22 for an individual player. In this manner,there is a feedback loop between the various components which canincrease or decrease the sensitivity of the active monitoring performedby the system 10.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and herein described in detailpreferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the broadaspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described,numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing fromthe spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limitedby the scope of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for monitoring impact-relatedacceleration of a body part of a plurality of players engaged in a teamsporting activity, each individual player wearing a piece of protectivesports equipment adjacent the body part while the individual player isengaged in the team sporting activity, the system comprising: aplurality of reporting units, wherein each reporting unit is positionedwithin a piece of said protective sports equipment worn adjacent a bodypart of an individual player, wherein each reporting unit has aplurality of sensing devices arranged to measure a direction and amagnitude of acceleration of the individual player's body part resultingfrom an impact applied to the protective sports equipment of theindividual player and to generate body part acceleration input data,each reporting unit includes a control unit that converts the body partacceleration input data to signals, each reporting unit further includesan encoder that encodes the converted signals with a unique playeridentifier prior to transmission by the reporting unit; a controllerthat receives said encoded signals transmitted from each reporting unit,wherein the controller decodes said encoded signals and then calculatesa body part acceleration result, and wherein the controller alsocalculates a direction of the impact and a location of the impactresulting in the body part acceleration; and a signaling device thatprovides an alert when said calculated body part acceleration resultexceeds a predetermined value.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is remote from the reporting units, and wherein the reportingunits wirelessly transmit encoded signals to the controller.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the controller recognizes the unique playeridentifier in order to multiplex said body part acceleration result forall players having a reporting unit.
 4. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising a remote storage device for holding historical data collectedby the system.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the body part is theplayer's head and the protective equipment is a football helmet, andwherein the plurality of sensing devices are accelerometers configuredto be arranged within the helmet proximate the player's head.
 6. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein the accelerometers measure linear androtational acceleration of the player's head when impacts are receivedby the helmet.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller alsocalculates duration of the impact, and wherein the alert provided by thesignaling device includes both the body part acceleration magnitude andthe impact duration.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the alertprovided by the signaling device further includes a time stamp andidentification of the player that experienced the body part accelerationresult that exceeded the predetermined value.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein the controller also calculates both the cumulative impacts andthe duration of the impacts sustained by the player during the currentsession of the team sporting activity.
 10. The system of claim 9,wherein the alert provided by the signaling device includes the bodypart acceleration magnitude, the impact duration and the cumulativeimpacts sustained by the player during the current session.
 11. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the unique player identifier is encrypted.12. A system for actively monitoring impact-related acceleration of abody part of a plurality of players engaged in a team sporting activity,the system comprising: a plurality of protective sports equipment,wherein a piece of protective sports equipment that receives impacts isworn by an individual player to protect a body part of the individualplayer during the team sporting activity; a plurality of reporting unitswherein a single reporting unit resides within a piece of saidprotective equipment worn by the individual player during the teamsporting activity, each reporting unit having an arrangement of sensorsthat measure a direction and a magnitude of acceleration of theindividual player's body part resulting from an impact applied to theprotective sports equipment of the individual player and generate bodypart acceleration input data, each reporting unit further having acontrol unit operably connected to the sensors for converting the bodypart acceleration input data to signals and for wireless transmission ofthe converted signals, the control unit including an encoder thatencodes the converted signals with a unique player identifier prior towireless transmission; and an electronic device that receives saidencoded signals transmitted from each reporting unit, wherein theelectronic device (i) decodes the encoded signals, (ii) calculates abody part acceleration result, and a direction and a location of theimpact resulting in the body part acceleration, and (iii) multiplexesthe body part acceleration result according to the unique playeridentifier, and wherein the electronic device provides an alert whensaid body part acceleration result surpasses a predetermined value. 13.The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic device recognizes theunique player identifier in order to multiplex said encoded parameterdata for the calculation of the result.
 14. The system of claim 12,further comprising a remote storage device for holding historical datacollected by the system, wherein access to the storage device isprovided via a remote connection.
 15. The system of claim 12, whereinthe body part is the player's head and the protective equipment is afootball helmet, and wherein the sensor arrangement comprisesaccelerometers configured to be arranged within the helmet and proximatethe player's head.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the unique playeridentifier is encrypted.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein thecontroller also calculates both the cumulative impacts and the durationof the impacts sustained by the player during the current session of theteam sporting activity.
 18. A system for monitoring impact-relatedacceleration of a body part of players engaged in a contact sport, eachindividual player wearing a piece of protective sports equipmentadjacent the body part that receives and attenuates impacts while saidplayer is engaged in the contact sport, the system comprising: at leastone reporting unit, wherein the reporting unit is positioned within apiece of protective sports equipment worn against a body part of anindividual player while engaged in the contact sport, the reporting unithaving: a plurality of sensing devices arranged to measure a directionand a magnitude of acceleration of the player's body part resulting froman impact applied to the protective sports equipment and to generatebody part acceleration input data, and a control unit configured toconvert the body part acceleration input data to signals prior totransmission by a telemetry element in the control unit; a controllerthat receives said signals transmitted from the control unit, whereinthe controller calculates a body part acceleration result, a directionof the impact and a location of the impact resulting in the body partacceleration; and a signaling device that provides an alert when saidcalculated body part acceleration result exceeds a predetermined value.19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller also calculates boththe cumulative impacts and the duration of the impacts sustained by theplayer during the current session of the team sporting activity.